Maple water is transformed into maple syrup in an evaporator, in which the water is heated until it boils. From the time the maple water is poured into the evaporator to the time it turns into syrup, it undergoes a complex chain of chemical reactions which produce the characteristically “maple” colour and flavour.
The evaporator consists of pans that are placed over a firebox referred to as an arch. The pans are divided to separate the more concentrated water from the more dilute. The pans are not closed, so that the liquid can move freely as the water evaporates. The level of water in the pans is standardly regulated using a mechanical float and valve mechanism. However such mechanism is vulnerable to accumulation of sugar and calcium carbonate.
There is a need in the art for a method and a system for controlling liquid levels in evaporators.